King’s Lynn Town moved to the top of National League North on Tuesday night after maintaining their superb start to the season with a well deserved win.

Despite playing the last quarter with 10 men following the dismissal of Rory McAuley, the Linnets saw the game out to move above morning leaders York City, who drew 0-0 at Guiseley.

The in-form hosts were quick out of the blocks and went ahead after just two minutes when Aaron Jones found Michael Clunan on the edge of the box and the midfielder curled the ball home after seeing his initial effort blocked.

Ian Culverhouse's side continued to dominate and Michael Gash headed just over from a Nathan Fox cross before Adam Marriott had the ball in the net again, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside.

Marriott then saw another good shot narrowly miss the target but the home fans didn't have to wait long for another goal. With 27 minutes on the clock on-loan Norwich City youngster Alfie Payne took aim from distance and found the back of the net with a fierce drive to make it 2-0.

Alfreton, who had started the evening in fourth position, didn't know what had hit them but it needed a smart stop from Alex Street to deny Josh Wilde 10 minutes before the break.

The visitors had been poor in the first half but came out with more purpose in the second and gave the hosts a scare when they had the ball in the net, only for the flag to go up for offside.

It was a more even contest now and the visitors from Derbyshire were given a boost on 64 minutes when Lynn defender McAuley was shown a straight red card after appearing to catch Amari Morgan-Smith with an elbow.

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Alfreton reduced the arrears on 79 minutes when Ben Tomlinson converted from close range but there was no cause for alarm for a crowd of more than 1,200. Two minutes later Marriott fired past Jack Atkinson in emphatic fashion to make it 3-1 and although Morgan-Smith scored for Alfreton in the third minute of injury-time it was too little, too late.

Ben Fowkes scored a hat-trick as Norwich United won 3-2 at Thetford Town to move up to second in the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division.

Fowkes fired the Planters in front on 38 minutes after good work from Hadyn Davies but it was Thetford who led at the interval following quick-fire goals from Robbie Priddle and Harry Hutt.

United restored parity on 56 minutes following another goal from Fowkes assisted by Davies.

The visitors had the final say on 72 minutes when Fowkes fired home at the second attempt.

Kaiden Goldspink scored a first half hat-trick as Kirkley & Pakefield beat high-flying Woodbridge Town, who had a 100 percent record going into the game, 5-2 at Walmer Road.

The Royals led 4-0 at half-time as Goldspink hit the goal trail and Jack Herbert also found the back of the net. Woodbridge pulled two goals back in the second half but the Royals had the final say when Goldspink scored his fourth from the spot, with a second yellow card for Jordan Haverson the only sour note.

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